In video: Mourinho erupts against the referees: Negreira no longer exists, and I will not talk about the "conspiracy"

I want to embrace the Real Madrid players, and I offer my congratulations to the referees' committee

José Mourinho aimed a broadside at the officials after Real Madrid's 2-1 defeat away to Atlético Madrid in the standout fixture of the Spanish league's seventh round.

Atlético won a second-half penalty and converted it for the opener, moments after Real defender Dean Huijsen saw red in the 52nd minute.

The Madrid Zone account on X carried the Portuguese's press conference comments, in which he said: "The fouls committed by Kang-in Lee and Romero against Valverde and Bellingham? It is clear that these two fouls deserved two red cards."

"The match was supposed to become 11 players against 9 players for 50 minutes, but instead it became 11 against 10 against us," he continued.

Video footage of the red cards denied to Atlético's players also came under Mourinho's scrutiny.

"I want to embrace my players, because they gave everything they had," Mourinho stressed. "Their performance in the first half was at the highest level, then things became difficult in the second half because of Huijsen's sending off."

The VAR came in for particular criticism. "Mr Trujillo, the video assistant referee, who did not call the referee over to review the red card situation involving Kang-in Lee, has a very strange history with Real Madrid," he noted.

"Just look at last season, in many matches against Real Madrid, and as for the poor referee Ortiz, it is clear he cannot handle the pressure in matches of this kind," he added.

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AFP
The refereeing committee: what wretched souls they are
The Portuguese coach turned sarcastic, saying: "I want to congratulate the referees' committee that chooses the referees. Firstly, it is strange that news leaked weeks ago that this referee had been chosen to oversee this match, as referees are usually chosen in the same week the match takes place."
"Then comes the selection of this combination," he added, "a video assistant referee who has a strange history with Real Madrid time and time again, alongside a weak referee with little experience, who has only officiated small matches. The poor referees' committee, they made a mistake, poor them."
Mourinho explained: "Under normal circumstances, I would say that we should not give up, of course, as there is still a lot to play for, and we are only in September, but it is clear that these are not normal circumstances."
"I do not want to go deep into the matter, but it is clear that there are very strange things, extremely strange," he continued. "I had hoped that upon my return to the Spanish league, I would find things different from how they were when I left it in 2013, but unfortunately, things are still the same."

AFP
I do not blame the Real Madrid players for anything
He stressed: "I am only asking the referees and the referees' committee to let us compete, nothing else. I won't say that what happened today was orchestrated and a conspiracy, will I? It was just a mistake, wasn't it?".
He added: "I don't blame my players for anything today. They gave everything they had, and I am very proud of them. They showed desire, fight and determination, and they kept competing until the end".
On the title race, he said: "If we are allowed to compete, then yes, we can still hope to win LaLiga and compete for it".
He concluded: "Although we leave the match feeling disappointed by the defeat, the good feeling is knowing that your players gave everything they had, and that you can't blame them for anything".
Alterphotos
Nigeria no longer exists, does it?
As Sport newspaper reported, Mourinho made his intentions clear: "We want to be at the top. We don't want second, third, fourth or fifth place. We want to have more points than we have now, and that is clear."
He went on: "There have been striking incidents in recent weeks, and here at this stadium, the goal that was disallowed for Osasuna, the penalty in San Sebastian, the penalty in Barcelona, and a player not being sent off against Athletic Bilbao by this referee, who was kind to Barcelona."
Asked a final question about the Negreira case, Jose Mourinho preferred to steer clear of controversy.
"Negreira no longer exists, does it?" the Portuguese coach replied. "If it no longer exists, then the matter is not tainted by Negreira."